Such Wicked Intent

Paperback | August 20, 2013

In this thrilling sequel to This Dark Endeavour, Victor Frankenstein is devastated by the death of his twin brother. The pains in his phantom missing fingers—sacrificed during his desperate attempt to save Konrad’s life—are a constant reminder of all he has lost. When the source of Victor’s recent misadventures, the Dark Library in the Frankenstein chateau, is dismantled and its contents destroyed in a fire, Victor spies a mysterious book in the flames. It claims to hold the secret to communicating with spirits, and leads Victor to an entryway into their hidden realms. With his cousin Elizabeth and dear friend Henry at his side, Kenneth Oppel’s most intriguing hero embarks on a dangerous quest tofind his brother in the great beyond and an adventure that is truly outof this world.

Finalist for the CLA Young Adult Book AwardIn this thrilling sequel to This Dark Endeavour, Victor Frankenstein is devastated by the death of his twin brother. The pains in his phantom missing fingers—sacrificed during his desperate attempt to save Konrad’s life—are a constant reminder of all he has lost. When the source of Victor’s re...

KENNETH OPPEL is the Governor General's Award-winning author of the Airborn series and the Silverwing Saga, which has sold over a million copies worldwide. His most recent novels areHalf Brother, winner of both the Canadian Library Association Children's Book of the Year Award and the CLA's Young Adult Book Award, andThis Dark Endeavou...

Educational/Developmental Value:

Durability:

Hours of Play:

Thank you. Your review has been submitted and will appear here shortly.

Reviews

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Meghna from
Wonderful sequel!I was so thrilled to hear about the second book and it didn't disappoint me! In fact it was higher than my expectations! I really wish there is a third book!!!

Date published: 2016-11-24

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Chloe from
Brilliant!This sequel did not disappoint. I truly enjoyed it.

Date published: 2016-11-13

Rated 5 out of
5 by
sar162 from
Such Wicked AmazeSuch Wicked Intent by Kenneth Oppel is an amazingly crafted sequel to The Dark Endeavors. It continues off the first book in the series ‘The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein’ where the main character Victor’s twin brother had died of illness and he had lost fingers trying to save him. While the family is coping, Victor and a young woman named Elizabeth (whom he’s trying to impress) discover a metal tome that reveals the secrets of the supernatural world; and possibly how to contact his dead brother.
The writing style in this series that combines the elements of love, horror, the supernatural, and religion into one. It uses this technique really efficiently and it feels like it’s almost real. The weight of the plot is just so heavy and is very much a page-turner.
The characters have very natural behaviours and interactions, like the main character, Victor. His desperation for Elizabeth is annoying and it would be the same in person.They all have darker personalities in this book than on the first which makes everything more exciting and confusing.
I’d say my favourite parts were the heart-pounding, quick paced and exciting parts like the final battle. It was probably the most electrifying and impressive part and a great end to the story. To avoid spoilers, let’s just say that something happens to Victor and you’re anxious about it while you read through a violent fight with a spiritual being. I usually don’t last ‘till the end of a book, and i began to get bored but this is the reason i give Such Wicked Intent 5 stars instead of 4.
Such Wicked Intent is one of the best books i’ve read so far. It takes a lot to make me read so i was very happy with it and i can’t wait until the third novel of the series comes out.

Date published: 2014-04-24

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Steven_R._McEvoy from
ExcellentSome books take you completely by surprise. This was one such book. In fact the story was so startling, so compelling and so amazing, I took months after reading it to think and reflect before writing my review. Kenneth Oppel has written a masterful tale in these books. In fact I was greatly disappointed when I found out there were no plans for more books. This dark tale will leave you hungry for more. This story continues directly on the heels of This Dark Endeavor and goes even deeper into the depths of a man's quest for knowledge and power. Darkness began in Victor's heart and after his brother's death his father burns the contents of the hidden dark library. But there was a book hidden in a protective sleeve that looked like a book. It was a journal from Victor's distant relative. It includes instructions for crossing over to a spiritual realm. Soon Victor, Henry and Elizabeth are at it again, and once you open a door, sometimes it is very hard to close again!This story is incredibly well written. I could not put the book down and went back to reread it in under a week. The story races along and you will find yourself on the edge of your seat with the intensity of the suspense and maybe even holding your breath as you read to find out what happens next. I have enjoyed all of Oppel's books from picture books to adult fiction and though this book was written for a young adult audience it could easily gather a large and wide following! All I can say is thank you for the awesome read.

Date published: 2013-03-20

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Steven_R._McEvoy from
ExcellentSome books take you completely by surprise. This was one such book. In fact the story was so startling, so compelling and so amazing, I took months after reading it to think and reflect before writing my review. Kenneth Oppel has written a masterful tale in these books. In fact I was greatly disappointed when I found out there were no plans for more books. This dark tale will leave you hungry for more. This story continues directly on the heels of This Dark Endeavor and goes even deeper into the depths of a man's quest for knowledge and power. Darkness began in Victor's heart and after his brother's death his father burns the contents of the hidden dark library. But there was a book hidden in a protective sleeve that looked like a book. It was a journal from Victor's distant relative. It includes instructions for crossing over to a spiritual realm. Soon Victor, Henry and Elizabeth are at it again, and once you open a door, sometimes it is very hard to close again!This story is incredibly well written. I could not put the book down and went back to reread it in under a week. The story races along and you will find yourself on the edge of your seat with the intensity of the suspense and maybe even holding your breath as you read to find out what happens next. I have enjoyed all of Oppel's books from picture books to adult fiction and though this book was written for a young adult audience it could easily gather a large and wide following! All I can say is thank you for the awesome read.

Date published: 2013-03-20

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Jeff_Miller from
Even Better then the FirstLike the first book it started slowly, but it didn't let me down. This book kept me up at night, because I simply couldn't put it down, and some parts were just that creepy. Then the ending, Kenneth Oppel wrote one of the greatest endings I ever read. If you haven't read this book yet, read it, go right now and get this book. You'll thank me when you're done.

Date published: 2013-03-13

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Nicola_Mansfield from
twice as good as the first!Reason for Reading: This is the author's latest book. Absolutely stunning. The first book was good and this one is twice as good. Oppel has stepped up the gothic atmosphere, introduced the supernatural element, played the romance element and kept the entire story very dark. There is not one character in this book who is not immune to the elements of the darkside. The reader doesn't really know if anyone is truly a 'good' character. I found this to be one of the best books I've read by Oppell and I've read his entire oeuvre except his early novels. Very dark, Oppel has managed to keep the same religious undertones that are found in the original Shelly's Frankenstein. Keeping the character of Elizabeth a Christian, Victor's actions are questioned over and over again as to whether he is playing God, does he have a god complex and while Oppel delves into the supernatural, unlike Shelly, I realistically get a good feel that this could indeed be the set up that turns the boy into the man who eventually creates the creature known most commonly by his own name. This was a page-turner for me and I'm quite impressed with the variety of styles Oppel is capable of writing to such perfection. This is his forte though,when he turns to the atmospheric, dark and moody he is in his element. A must read for fans of gothic literature.

Date published: 2012-11-06

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Kristin_So from
couldn't put this down!Like the first book of the series, Such Wicked Intent is an amazing novel. Oppel has a way with words that I can't really describe... How he can weave so much suspense and fantastic things into 310 pages is impossible. The characters are relatively the same; much hasn't changed within them since the events of the first book, except maybe Victor has grown a bit more "crazy." I especially enjoy how I can truly relate to these characters (maybe not so much Victor) and not think of them as some godly hero that I want to look up to. I do praise how these characters can get so passionate about things, though. Anyway, this novel is another must-read. It will never lose your attention, it's full of suspense, and it'll keep you guessing till the last page. I really hope there's a third book!

Date published: 2012-10-16

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Natalia_Belikov from
Those Seeking Excellence will Definitely Find it HereThere are not so many YA Canadian authors out there. But let me tell you something, Kenneth Oppel alone, counts for a thousand more. There is no biggest pleasure in the world than to read a book written by Kenneth Oppel. He was born to write and to express his thoughts in the most eloquent and graceful way. From tender and heartwarming moments, to the most gruesome and ghoulish scenes, Mr. Oppel's quill never ceased to dazzle me. Such Wicked Intend, sequel to This Dark Endeavor, kept me completely absorbed within its pages. Its haunting and utterly bewitching atmosphere, strong cast of characters and out-of-this-word marvelous plot, make this book one of the best YA novels I have ever read. It is impossible not to love the impulsive, ambitious, jealous and highly arrogant young Victor Frankenstein. Victor, who always wants to prove others that he's right and whose thirst for power is like the one of a man who has been long lost in a desert, is one of my favorite characters in the YA world. But, underneath those pejorative connotations, there is a young man whose heart feels and suffers (as much, or even more than the rest) the lost of his beloved twin brother. Victor's complex personality, if well is full of flaws, I as a reader can easily feel sympathy for him. Kenneth Oppel masters the creation of multi-layered and mountain-thick characters. Victor is the perfect proof of that. Within the darkness of this book there is so much beauty. Beauty in the writing, beauty in the character's noble hearts, beauty in the outcome. But there is also outrageous ambition. Victor wants to be his own master and create his own rules and limits of what it is possible and not. Again, playing God is an irresistible temptation for Victor. His insatiable hunger for power, and his constant unbearable grieving (emotional and physical), leads him to discover once again the evil secrets of the dark library, now almost completely burned. With an extraordinary narrative, Such Wicked Intend delivers with fiery passion a grandiose piece of YA literature. Those who seek excellence will certainly find it here. Bravo!

Date published: 2012-09-08

Extra Content

Editorial Reviews

"Mr. Oppel is an expert storyteller and an outstanding world builder. Such Wicked Intent is sinister, creepy, even horrific. At the same time, it is highly appealing, humanistic and thought-provoking." -NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS